Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Hello friends and Happy Tuesday to you all! Are you having a wonderful holiday season so far? I'm just loving it so much (not the 20 degree weather and winds though, lol)---it is a beautiful time of year! The house is completely decorated inside and out and this week I'll do a bit of baking with Alexa! Last night we went to Riley's band concert and then he has one more on Wed.--he's in the percussion section but his love is playing the drums. In fact he asked Santa for a drum set for Christmas (oh my moley, help my ears if Santa brings that), LOL---but he's really gotten good and he enjoys it! Other than making projects and going to band concerts this week is kinda easy breezy for us which I like! I am planning on trying to get a few videos done this week and I have the carpet cleaners coming on Wed--it's a 4 time a year kinda thing when you have animals KWIM, lol! They're just doing our basement and the kids bedrooms this time--most of our house is hardwoods. I'm hoping to have our basement done in hardwood this coming spring---I'm tired of cleaning carpet all the time down there with boys running around (they play video games down there) and its the cats main area. You know ho-hum house maintenance, LOL!

Anywho I have a LONG Slideshow of all our house decorations below for you to enjoy! I hope they bring a smile to you today and you can think of how tired my arms are from lighting and decorating all those trees, hee hee! (if you get my blog by email, you must come to the website to see slideshow):

Holiday Decorations Slideshow Pics! Click on the slideshow to see in large size and then you can also slow it down with the +/- buttons on the player!

NewsBitz:

-Only a few more days to enter my Charity Blog Candy Giveaway--its a great cause and there are fabulous prizes! It will end Friday at midnight EST and winner will be announced this weekend! Read all about it HERE!

-Holiday Special still going on thru Jan 4th for my online Copic Classes at the Color Me Creative Classroom---great deals and makes a great gift too! Check it out HERE!

-My friend Teri has an AWESOME DEAL on COPICS at her store Stamps Alive! right now---BUY 10 Copics at $5.15 each and GET 4 MARKERS FREE! If interested email her with your selections by this Friday at midnight (PST)! Copic Swatchbooks are $4.95 too!

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Presents Galore!!

Today I have a fun card for you that is totally "ME"--lol! I love anything black and white with elegant patterns like brocade or toile AND pop it with some hot pink and it's LOVE at first site! I made this card with today'sNEW Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog challenge in mind--it's to use mostly white either in your image or on your whole project! Well I did a little of both along with some pops of color too! I wanted to show how you can use this beautiful Magnolia "Secret Tilda" from Magnolia-licious for many occasions---this card would be perfect for Christmas, Birthdays and Valentie's Day (or any other celebration)!!

Isn't "Secret Tilda" a super cutie--I just love her!? **And this Tilda comes in the MINI size too here ** I used last week's Friday Sketcher's Sketch for my layout and the patterned papers are all by My Minds Eye "Lush" collection. The black brocade paper is flocked so it's really pretty IRL! I embossed the white paper on the background with a CB folder (hard to see) and the oval behind her with a different (lined) CB folder. The black matting behind the oval is a Spellbinder's Nesties Label 6 (25% off )! A ribbon tied with my Bow Easy wraps around and then I added a mix of paper flowers to the center of my bow.

TIP: The scroll like designs behind the matting was done with hot pink cs and a Marianne Designs frame die (see here)--I cut the ends off of 2 frames and added them around the oval. I like to look at my dies and find different ways to use them and sometimes those frame dies have beautiful edges, so why not use them in a different way! Gotta get your money's worth right!!

She's colored with Copics of course and I made her shirt white using my Cool Gray Copics (C9,C5,C3,C1,C00/RV17,RV10/YR24,E31,E50). I use the grays to create the illusion of white--you only color the shadowed areas with your grays, in my case I used C3,C1,C00 to shadow the folds in her shirt. Then I used the darker grays to create the look of black pants as well! TIP: To create the hot pink accents I used RV17 as my darkest color and RV10 as my lightest--then I picked up color FROM the RV17 WITH the RV10 to create the middle color. This technique is known as bridging and is a great way to get the middle color you need if you have a dark and a light color on hand! I gave her present polka-dots with my white sharpie poster paint pen (extra fine tip) and added stickles to the bows and her lacey trims.

Hope you enjoyed this post today and I hope you'll pop on over to the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog HERE to see the DT's awesome projects and join in on the fun too! Have a great day and see ya here tomorrow!

wow! I absolutely love this card! you are awesome! Ive learnt a lot from watchn your videos and I just love evry card you make, your quite an artist! Oh, and your home is amazing! I love everything about it. Inside and Out! It reminds me of the homes in the christmas movies. It must be magical living in ur home at christmas time.

First off, Your home is beautiful Suzanne! I can see now why your arms and body were aching when you got finished decorating! I would definately like to visit just to all the holiday cheer up close and personal! Second, your card is wonderful! I love the black/white/hot pink theme! It is so me also! I love black and hot pink! LOL! Now to be able to learn to shade and blend like that! I know, all in good time! Thanks for sharing all these wonderful things with me! I very much enjoyed them all! Hope you have a wonderful day! Happy Creating! Sara

Your lovely home is so tastefully decorated and just beautiful! I love how each tree is done with different themes and colors. I wish I could tap into your energy source! I've only ever done one tree! LOLYour card is so fabulously colored and so cute too! TFS!

HEY SWEETIE OKK WHERE TO START LOL!!! OK i actually was stuck on coloring.I didn't know what colors to go with on a tilda.For this particular one i had saw here on your blog you had colored her like FREAKIN AWSOME AND I ALMOST Died when i saw her i mean i was drooling all over this place so i came to see your color combos hopefully it gives me a push on my colors.I have my brush on my hand and an empty head.I'm just looking arpound mt area and nothing to inspire me soo i decided ,"I NEED TO GO TO Suzanne's lol!!!I'll look for it in a bit.

Second your card is GORGEOUS "gasping" I mean hooooooollie mollie! Incredibly devine just so beautiful.It couldn't get any more elegant.The flowers and the cuts are extra to the candy wow!!! GREAT JOB AND THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION!!

and last lol!! Woman you have more trees than a show room lol!! There all so pretty and decorated very gorgeous.DO YOU DECORATE ALONE? oK AND WHICH TREE gets to have the xmas presents under? I think if those were mine i would hide all the presents inside the tree lol!!! Everybody needs to hunt their presents lol!! OH I LOVE TO TOTURE MY KIDS he he he jk,Take care my friend,RubYM:)

Love everything about this card, Suzanne! The DPs are beautiful and I, too, love that Marianne Designs die! The color combo is striking, and of course, your coloring is just gorgeous as always! Thanks for listing the colors you used! You're one big ball of talent! Hugs, Cami

Hi Suzanne - Another adorable card! I love the color combo too and although you have taught me how to use my copics (big hugs and a thank you!), I will never wield them like you --your coloring is magical!! :) I also completely enjoyed your Christmas decoration slide show. It is like looking at pics in a Southern Living mag - absolutely gorgeous! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Suzanne, your decorations rival the White House with so many beautifully decorated trees in different colors and styles! Your table Santa's and greenery are wonderful accents too! Your little card is beautifully done in Black and White with a splash of pink!

Like I said, cam I come to your house?? You have enough Christmas trees!!! So beautiful Suzanne.. Did you ever get the back yard completely finished? Just wondering because bet you decorated that beautifully also.. and your card is beautiful... Anyway, thank you for sharing your home with us and thank you for sharing your life with us this year. your are a doll and we love you for it..Hugs, Jean

Beautiful card Suzanne. Your slide show is wonderful. How do you find the time to put up so many trees? We are lucky to get one decorated. Anyway, your house looks absolutely beautiful. Have a wonderful Christmas!

EVERYTHING,,,from your gorgeous home and decorations to your beautiful card are absolutely awesome. Since I started to subscribe to your blog, you have created everything that I totally love......Thank you for sharing,Happy Christmas and a Great New Year to you and your family.

I absolutely love the pink and black combo and your card is 1st at the top of my list. The card is sooo adorable! I have kids in my Pre-K class who come to share their show and share with their surprise behind their backs like Tilda! Too cute!

Your card is stunning as oper your usual style of elegance and wow.i had a good look at ll your Xmas decorations, and I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN MY LIFE!!!!! i had my mouth hanging open so my husband came to see what i was looking at and he thought it was a shop, LOL.thanks so much for sharing these pics of your home, absolutely beautiful!Have a very merry ChristmassmilesPaola

Suzanne, I love your colored pick. You have the right amount of white and the black and hot pink is so cool for this card. Love your awesome coloring on Tilda image. She is such a darling here :o)Hugs,Cabio

Dear Suzanne,May I just thank you so very much for sharing your gorgeous and stunning home with us at this special time of year. I hope both you and your family have an amazing Christmas and I look forward to being mesmorised by your art in 2011.Luv Joanne xx